Eyeglass-mounting.



L. F. ADT. EYEGLASS MOUNTING. APPLICATION FILED 1101 .24, 1905.

967,292, Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

8 Z5 f v 4 $313 R;..

LEO F. ADT, or .ALBANY, NEW YORK.

EYEGLASS-MOUNTING'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au 16, 1910.

Application filed November 24, 1905. Serial No. 288,835.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lno F. ADT, of Albany, in the county of Albany andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inEyeglass-Mount mgs; and I do hereby declare the followlng to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccom-;

panying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to thereference numerals marked thereon.

My present invention relates to eyeglass:

mountings, and particularly to that class in which the nose guards areconnected to the lenses and the latter connected to the bridge in suchmanner that the nose guards are} separated for application to the noseof the wearer by a movement of the lenses in a horizontal direction, orone parallel or substantially co-incident with the major axis of theusual oval-shaped lenses, and it has for its object to provide a devicewhich is primarily adapted to maintain the lenses in proper relativeposition to each other and to the eyes of the wearer under allconditions, so that c lindrical lenses for correction of astigmat sm maybe safely employed, even when the amount of astigmatism is very slight,and,l furthermore, one 1n which the parts are so arranged and adaptedthat the parts will not wear unduly and become loose.

The invention has for its further object to provide a mounting whichwhen viewed from the front will not differ materially in appearance fromthe ordinary saddle bridge used on spectacles, with the exception thatthe guards for grasping the nose may show but to a very slight degree.

Heret-ofore, bar bridges for eyeglasses have been constructed on thegeneral lines of old-fashioned spring bridges, that is to say, theconnecting portion between the lenses has usually been com-posed of twoor more relatively movable bars located some,

distance above the centers of the lenses and encircled by a spring orsprings which cause their relative movement and the approach of thelenses and the nose guards thereon. By reason of the fact that thispoint of connection was so far above the center of the lenses, and ofthe general familiarity of the public with eyeglasses which open by avertical movement of the lenses, there was a tendency on the part of theuser to tip the lenses upwardly to apply them, or even if one attemptedto move the lenses in line with each other the leverage between theparts would be such as to cause a transverse movement of the barsrelatively to their bearings wearing the latter unduly so that theywould soon become loose or cause the parts to become bent andinoperative. Such mountings were furthermore unsightly in that a largenumber of relatively-movable parts were exposed over the wearers nose,and which parts were required to be relatlvely strong and heavy in orderto withstand the strain to which they were subjected in applying them,but all these objectionsare overcome in a marked degree by formmg theconnecting bar or bridge of rigid material and locating the slidingconnections or bearings as nearly as possible in line with the centersof the lenses and preferably by making the bridge low so that it mayeither just clear or rest upon the bridge of the nose of the wearer, ifdesired. The appearance of the mounting is also enhanced by arrangingthe connections preferably in rear of the plane of the lenses so thatthey will not be visible from the front.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullyexplained, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a front elevation of a pair ofeyeglasses embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal, sectional view taken throughone end of the bridge and attaching parts, and showing the other inelevation. Fig. 4 is a vertical, sectional View on the line yg of Fig.1.

Similar reference numerals in the several figures indicate similarparts.

The lenses indicated by 1 are of the usual or any preferred shape andare preferably frameless,that is, at the proximate edges of the lensesthere are provided attaching devices, indicated by 2, and in the form ofthe usual studs or clamping posts having one or more ears 3 to which thelenses are secured by screws l passing through apertures therein. At theinner proximate ends of the studs are formed the usual or any preferredform of boxes for receiving the shank 5 of the spring nose guards 6,which latter may also be of the usual or any preferred construction, butpreferably vertically extending and arranged in substantially the samehorizontal plane as the studs, the studs as shown being in a planeintermediate of the ends or bearing portions of the guards, the parts orpads 7 of the guard being above the stud and the bearing parts 8 belowit.

9 indicates the bar or bridge connecting the lenses formed of relativelyrigid material preferably having its central portion arched slightlyupwardly and forwardly, in order to extend either in proximity to thebridge of the wearers nose, or to rest upon the same if desired, theends of this bridge extending horizontally in rear of the lenses belowtheir upper and above their lower edges and preferably substantially inthe plane. of the major axes of the lenses and in line. with the clipsor attaching devices and the guards, and having a movable connectionwith the. latter whereby the lenses and the. attached guard-s may bemoved relatively to. each other, and in a horizontal direction only. Inorder to form an inexpensive connection between these parts and at' thesame time to adapt this form of bridge to attaching devices or clips orstuds of' the usual construction, I provide brackets lOhaving thetongues 11 projecting laterally through apertures in the rear portionsof the studs so that said tongues may be secured beneath or with theshanks of the guard by the securing screws 12. These brackets 10 have attheir inner sides apertures, preferably angular, through which thecorrespondingly-shaped portions of the bridge 9 are passed, and are alsoprovided with the outwardly-extending guides 13 preferably in rear ofthe studs and with which cooperate the perforated plates le formed uponor secured to the outer ends of the bridge.

15 indicates springs encircling the ends of the bridge and arrangedbetween the inner sides of the bracket and the outer plates or heads 14and serving normally to press the lenses and guards inwardly, holdingthe latter firmly in engagement with the wearers nose, and when themounting is not in use the lower sides of the arch of the bridge limitthe inward movement of the lenses, or this might be accomplished byheads 011 the outer ends of the guide pins 13 if desired.

The operation and manner of applying the glasses to the wearers nosewill be understood by one skilled in the art, a lateral movementrelatively of the lenses only being necessary to apply them, and thetension of the springs causing them to be held firmly in place.

The ends of the bridge extend outwardly beyond the point where they areguided on the arm or bracket 10 and beyond the inner edges of the lenseswhich affords a long bearing enabling mountings of this construction tobe worn by persons havlng relatively short pupilary distances. On theother hand this construction enables the mountings to be used by personshaving a wide pupilary distance by en'lploying longer studs or posts.

The principal feature of the invention is the provision of arelatively-1novablc connection between the bridge and the lenses betweenthe upper and lower edges of the latter and as nearly as possible inline with the horizontal axes of the lenses so that as the operatorgrasps each of the lenses at top and bottom to separate them, there willbe no leverage exerted tending to Wear the bearings unduly either aboveor below or by twisting, and thus loosen the sliding connection, and anyslight twisting due to wear being near the optical axes of the lenseswill not cause distortion. Theoretically, the proper place for thebearings would be in the centers of the lenses or where the major andminor axes cross, but as this is impossible they are arranged as closeto the rear faces of the lenses as practical and in substantially thesame horizontal plane as the guards, so as to reduce the opportunity forvertical flexing of the bridge either in opening the glasses or byreason of pressure on the wearers nose. It is immaterial so far as thisarrangement of the bearings is concerned whether the specific form ofconnection shown is employed or not, but I prefer it for the reason thatthe device is simple and may be readily applied to studs or attachingdevices not essentially different from those now in use, and for thereason that the parts are not visible from the front, thereby enhancingthe appearance of the mounting. By having the central portion of thebridge clear of operating parts and providing the connections with thelenses at the ends thereof, I am enabled to bring it into closeproximity to the wearers nose and by forming it of a single part ormember, (preferably though not necessarily of one piece of metal) havingtwo portions c. the arch and the attaching ends in different horizontalplanes, the connection with lenses is brought low and the bridge mayrest upon the wearers nose if desired. Also the rigid arch portionreduces the liability of twisting or bending the parts if the attempt ismade to move the lenses vertically.

Of course the invention is not limited to making both lenses movable butwhen so constructed the mounting is more symmetrical and is more readilyadaptable to persons having different facial characteristics.

I claim as my invention:

1. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devicesthereon arranged attheir proximate edges and nose guards, of a bridge, amovable connection between one end of the bridge and one of theattaching the proximate lens, and a spring for re sisting the separationof the lenses.

2. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devlcesthereon arranged at their proximate edges and nose guards connected tothe lenses, of a bridge, a sliding connection between one end of thebridge and the proximate attaching device, located in rear of the faceof the lens and outwardly beyond its inner edge and a spring forresisting the separation of the lenses.

3. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devices andnose guards thereon, of a bridge, horizontal sliding con nectionsbetween one of said attaching devices and the bridge, and located in ahorizontal plane between the upper and the lower ends of the guards, anda spring for causing the relative movements of the lenses toward eachother.

4. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devices andvertically-extending nose guards thereon, of a bridge,horizontally-extending guiding connections between said attachingdevices and. the

bridge located in a horizontal plane between the upper and lower ends ofthe guards, and a spring for causing the movement of the lenses towardeach other.

5. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devices andnose guards thereon, of a bridge having sliding engagement at its endswith the attaching devices, and springs engaging said devices and thebridge and tending to move the lenses toward each other, the ends of thebridge being in substantial horizontal alinement with each other andwith the guards and below the upper edges of the lenses.

6. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the attaching devicesat the proximate edges and below the upper edges thereof, and the noseguards, of the bridge having its ends in substantiallythe samehorizontal plane as the attaching devices, one of said ends having asliding connection with an attaching device and a spring engaging anattaching device and the bridge for moving the lenses toward each other.

7. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the attaching devicesat the proximate edges thereof and the nose guards, of the bridge havingits ends located in rear of the attaching devices and in substantiallythe same horizontal plane, one of said ends having a sliding connectionwith an attaching device and a spring engaging said attaching device andthe bridge, for moving the lenses toward each other.

8. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the attaching devicesat the proximate edges thereof and the guards, of the bridge providedwith the central arched portion and the horizontally-extending ends, thelatter having sliding connections with the attaching devices and springsengaging said bridge and attaching devices for moving the lenses towardeach other.

9. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the studs at theproximate edges thereof and the nose guards, of the bridge havinghorizontal sliding connections between its ends and the studs located insub stantially the same horizontal plane as the latter, and springsarranged between the bridge and studs for moving the lenses toward eachother.

10. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses,the studs, the guidesthereon arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane as thestuds, and the nose guards, of the bridge having the central archedportion and engaging at its ends the guides on the studs and springsarranged'between the bridge ends and studs for moving the lenses towardeach other.

11. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the studs extendinginwardly from the edges of the lenses, the guides on the studs andarranged in substantially the same horizontal plane as the latter andthe nose guards, of the bridge having sliding connections with theguides on the studs and springs arranged between the bridge and studsfor moving the lenses toward each other.

12. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the studs secured tothe proximate edges of the lenses and having outwardly-extending guidesthereon located in substantially the same horizontal plane as the studsand the nose guards secured to the studs, of the bridge having thearched central portion, the laterally-extending portlons cooperatingwith the guides and the heads at the ends, and the springs locatedbetween the heads on the bridge ends and the studs. i

13. In an eyeglass mounting, the combination with studs each having anear for engaging a lens, guides thereon arranged in substantially thesame horizontal plane and nose guards mounted on the studs, of a bridgecooperating at its ends with the guides on the studs and springscooperating with the bridge and studs to draw the latter toward eachother. H

14-. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devicesthereon arranged at their proximate edges and nose guards, of a bridgehaving an end connected by a sliding connection with one of the lenses.

15. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devicesthereon arranged at their proximate edges and nose guards, of a bridge,a sliding connection between one end of the bridge and one of theattaching devices and arranged substantial-1y in the. plane of the majoraxes of the lenses and between the upper and lower ends of the guards,and a spring for causing the relative movements of the lenses towardeach other.

16. In eyeglasses, the combination with a rigid bridge, of the lensesand nose guards, said lenses being movable longitudinally of the bridge,and the points of connection between them located in substantially theplane of the optical axes of the lenses, and a spring for causing therelative movements of the lens and bridge.

17. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, and the noseguardsrigidly securedthereto, of a rigid arched connecting bridge havingsliding connections at its ends with the lenses, said slidingconnections being located in a horizontal plane between the upper andthe lower ends of the noseguards.

18. In eyeglasses, the combination with thelenses and the noseguardsrigidly connected thereto, of a bridge arched at the center havingsliding connections between its lower ends and the lenses arrangedsubstantially in line with the major axes of the lenses.

19:. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses and the noseguardssecured to and movable bodily with the lenses, of a rigid.

bridge provided with portions thereof arranged in difierent horizontalplanes, a sliding connection between the lower portion of the-bridge andone of the lenses, and a spring resisting the movement of said lens andits guard.

20. In eyeglasses, the combination with the: lenses and noseguardsconnected thereto, of a rigid connecting bridge having the lowerhorizontal ends and horizontal guides on the lenses with which said endscooperate located substantially in the plane of the optical centers ofthe lenses and out of line with the edges of the lenses and independentsprings tending to move the lenses toward each other.

21. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, attaching devices attheir edges and noseguards connected thereto, of a rigid bridge havingthe guiding'ends extending outwardly beyond the inner edges of thelenses, substantially in line with the attaching devices and having asliding connection with the latter and springs tending to move thelensestoward each other.

22. In eyeglasses, the combination with a rigid arched bridge havinghorizontally extending ends and the abutments of connecting members orparts provided with guides for the ends of the bridge and havinglaterally extending attaching portions and springs arranged between saidmember and the bridge and pressing the members toward each other.

23. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the studs thereon,the connecting members secured to the studs having the rearwardlyextending portions and the outwardly extending guides, of the bridgehaving the outwardly extending ends arranged substantially in the samehorizontal plane as the studs and operating in the guides and. springsarranged between the outer portions of the bridge and the connectingmembers for holding the lenses pressed yieldingly to ward each other.

24. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, the studs thereonand the guards secured to the studs, of the connecting members removablysecured to the studs and extending laterally thereof, the bridge havingthe outwardly extending end arranged substantially in the samehorizontal plane as the studs and having sliding engagement with themembers, and helical springs encircling the ends of the bridge andengaging the connecting members and serving to hold the lenses pressedyieldingly toward each other.

25. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, studs thereon andnoseguards, of a bridge having horizontally extending guiding portionsarranged in substantially the same horizontal plane with the studs, aconnecting portion having a sliding connection with the guiding portionsof the bridge and provided with a horizontally extending attaching armadapted to be detachably secured to the said stud, and means for holdingthe noseguards in proximated position.

26. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, studs thereonprovided with attaching boxes and noseguards having portions secured inthe boxes of the respective studs, of a bridge having a horizontallyextending guiding portion arranged in substantially the same horizontalplane with the stud, a connecting portion having a sliding connectionwith the said guiding portion of the bridge and having an attaching armextending into the box of the respective stud on one of the lenses and aspring for operating the lens relatively to the bridge.

27. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses and noseguardsmounted thereon. and movable bodily therewith, of a bridge having ahorizontal guiding portion arranged substantially in alinement with themajor geometrical axes of the lenses and extending outwardly beyond theinner edge thereof, and a sliding connection cooperating with saidguiding portion and movable with its respective lens.

28. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses having studsoverlapping the inner lens edge, and noseguards, of a bridge having ahorizontal guiding portion arranged in substantially the same horizontalplane with one of said studs and extending outwardly in rear of thelens-overlapping portion of said stud, and a sliding connection betweensaid stud and the guiding portion of the bridge.

29. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, having studsthereon, and the noseguards, of a bridge having a horizontal guidingportion arranged in substantially the same horizontal plane with saidstuds, a sliding connection movable with one of the lenses andcooperating with said guiding portion on the bridge, and a helicalspring having its axis extending parallel to the guiding portion of thebridge and cooperating with the latter and the sliding connection forproducing a proximating movement of the lenses.

30. In eyeglasses, the combination with the lenses, and the noseguards,of a bridge having a horizontal guiding portion arranged substantiallyin alinernent with the major axes of the lenses, a connection movablewith one of the lenses and having a guiding portion extending outwardlyparallel to the guiding portion of the bridge, and a helical springencircling one of said guiding portions and cooperating with portions ofthe bridge and connections for pro ducing relative proximating movementof the lenses.

31. The combination with a rigid bridge provided at its ends withhorizontal guides in line with. each other, of lens-clamps supported andarranged to slide on said guides, lenses su ported by said clamps withtheir horizontal axes in the same plane with said guides and nose-guardscarried by said clamps.

32. The combination with a curved rigid bridge-piece adapted to fit thenose of the wearer, and provided at its ends with horizontal guides inline with each other, of lens clamps supported and arranged to slide onsaid guides, nose-guards carried by said clamps, and springs tending tomove said lens-clamps and nose-gi'iards toward each other.

33. The combination with a suitable bridge-piece provided at its endswith guides arranged in line with each other, of lensclamps mounted andadapted to slide on said guides, lenses supported by said clamps withtheir horizontal axes in the same horizontal plane with said guides,nose-guards carried by said lens-clamps, and springs tending 'to movesaid lens-clamps and noseguards toward each other.

LEO F. ADT.

itnesses NIIOHAEL, F. OCoNNoR, EDWARD .hIURPHY, 2d.

